Corporate News Release
Media Contact:
Kate Kirkpatrick
630-990-1478
[email protected]
On-Site Contact:
Christine Doucet
630-209-4634
[email protected]
THE ACE HARDWARE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES SECOND ANNUAL
ACE CARES FOR KIDS All-STAR
Phoenix child, Aiden Morales, named “All-Star” at surprise school assembly
OAK BROOK, Ill., January 16, 2013 – Today, the Ace Hardware Foundation, along with
representatives from Ace Hardware retail stores and Phoenix Children’s Hospital, a member of
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, gave local Phoenix child Aiden Morales, the surprise of a
lifetime. The Ace Hardware Foundation surprised 10-year-old Aiden by announcing in front of 500
classmates from Lookout Mountain Elementary School in Phoenix that he has been named the
second annual National Ace Cares for Kids All-Star.
As part of this prestigious recognition, Aiden will become the national ambassador for the Ace
Foundation, raising awareness of the excellent work that is done at Children’s Miracle Network
Hospitals across the country. In addition to serving as an ambassador for the Ace Foundation, Aiden
will become the face of the Ace Cares for Kids icon campaign, a national in-store fundraising initiative
supported by Procter & Gamble, designed to raise funds at Ace Hardware stores for local Children’s
Miracle Network Hospitals.
The Morales family is all too familiar with the extraordinary care provided by their local Children’s
Miracle Network Hospital, Phoenix Children’s. At 15 weeks into her pregnancy, Aiden’s mother
Jennifer Morales learned that Aiden was diagnosed with tricuspid atresia, a form of congenital heart
disease in which the heart does not fully develop during prenatal development. Aiden has since
undergone numerous surgeries and countless procedures at Phoenix Children’s.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Morales family for their willingness to share Aiden’s powerful story,”
said Jimmy Alexander, president, Ace Hardware Foundation. “Aiden will make for a tremendous Ace
All-Star and we look forward to working with him in the year ahead to continue to spread his message
of hope.”
Aiden Morales was selected by the Ace Foundation following a nationwide endeavor that gave every
Children’s Miracle Network Hospital an opportunity to nominate a deserving patient. As the second
annual All-Star for the Ace Cares for Kids Program, Aiden and his family will be treated to an allexpenses paid trip to attend the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ annual Celebration in Walt
Disney World this November. Additionally, Aiden will make special appearances and be treated to
surprises from Ace throughout the year.
“We are thrilled for Aiden and the entire Morales family,” said Steve Schnall, Senior Vice President
and Chief Development Officer, Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Programs like the Ace AllStar raise critical awareness and funds, but also the opportunity to recognize our patients and parents
who willingly share their stories in an effort to help other children and families.”
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As a proud supporter of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Ace Hardware has been dedicated
to raising funds for children’s hospitals all over the country, including Phoenix Children’s. Over the past
22 years, the Ace Foundation has raised more than $58 million for Children’s Miracle Network
Hospitals.
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About the Ace Hardware Foundation
As the official charitable division of Ace Hardware Corporation, the Ace Hardware Foundation helps
enhance the vision of being the “Helpful Place” in local communities across the country and around
the globe through charitable giving. The Ace Foundation provides support and philanthropic
opportunities to its consumers, retail store owners, vendors and team members to give back to local
communities through fundraising efforts for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and American Red
Cross Disaster Relief.
About Ace Hardware
For 90 years, Ace Hardware has been known as the place with the helpful hardware folks in
thousands of neighborhoods across America, providing customers with a more personal kind of
helpful. In 2013, Ace ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Home Improvement Retail Stores,
Seven Years in a Row” according to J.D. Power. With more than 4,700 hardware stores locally owned
and operated across the globe, Ace is the largest hardware cooperative in the industry.
Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace and its subsidiaries currently operate 14 distribution centers in
the U.S. and also have distribution capabilities in Shanghai, China; Panama City, Panama; and Dubai,
United Arab Emirates. Its retailers' stores are located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and
approximately 60 countries. For more information on Ace, visit www.acehardware.com.
About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that
provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to
fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care.
Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $4.7 billion, most of it $1 at a
time through the charity's Miracle Balloon icon. Its various fundraising partners and programs support
the nonprofit's mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Find out why
children's hospitals need community support, and learn about your member hospital, at
www.CMNHospitals.org and www.facebook.com/CMNHospitals
About Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Phoenix Children’s Hospital is Arizona’s only children’s hospital that is ranked in U.S. News & World
Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals. Phoenix Children's provides world-class inpatient, outpatient,
trauma, emergency and urgent care to children and families in Arizona and throughout the Southwest.
As one of the largest children’s hospitals in the country, Phoenix Children’s provides care across more
than 75 pediatric specialties. The Hospital is poised for continued growth in quality patient care,
research and medical education. For more information about the hospital, visit
www.phoenixchildrens.org.